Uncle Marx

In memory of my father
Mario Wald - a true socialist

30.06.1945 09.09.2011

Content
Bio
Marxism explained:
1. Historical Materialism
2. Capitalism
3. Proletariat prelude for
revolution
Marx aesthetics
Kibbutz and Marxism
Art in the Service of
Ideology

Bio

Born in Germany 1818 died in London 1883

Studied law, philosophy and history.
In 1843 moved to Paris where he met Friedrich
Engels. The two collaborated in writing and criticism.
Criticism of religion is the foundation of all
criticism Marx (Magee, 2010 p. 164)
Marx was expelled from France and Germany in 1849
-ended up in London where he lived till his death
Marx did little paid work and chose to live in
poverty most of the time and pursue his studies and
writing, he received financially support from Engels.

Key works
The Poverty of Philosophy
(1847)
Communist Manifesto with
Friedrich Engels (1848)
The Class Struggles in France,
1848 to 1850 (1850)
A Contribution to the Critique
of Political Economy (1859)
Das Kapital (1867)

from Hegel

Reality is an ongoing historical process

The process is driven foreword by its own internal laws,
human being swept along by it and dont control it.
The changes will continue until a situation is reached in
which all internal contradictions have been resolved
then there will be no alienation therefore no force at
work promoting change.
This will make human freedom and self-fulfilment
possible.
The form of society this can be realized is an organic
society in which individuals are absorbed into a whole
that is much bigger and therefore more fulfilling then
their own separate life

Historical Materialism
in the social production of their life, men enter
into definite relations that are indispensable and
independent of their will, relations of production
which correspond to a definite state of
development of their material productive forces.
The sum total of these relations of production
constitutes the economic structure of society, the
real foundation, on which rises a legal and
political superstructure and to which correspond
definite forms of social consciousness.
Marx from the critique of political economy (1859)

(McLellan, 1986 p.49)

Historical Materialism

The human conscience is always occupied with

its subsistence.

Capitalism

Based on private ownership over the means of

production.
The capitalist is in a privilege position in the
manufacturing structure.
He collect the production surplus; which he invests to
enlarge his production power.
The worker is selling his labour power to the capitalist.
The essence of the all system is to create profit;
everybody the capitalist and the employee are enslaved
to generating profit.
Everybody takes part in the economy but its creates an
antagonistic society.

Marx thought the development of modern technology

was bound to put more and more people out of work,
with the result the mass will become more numerous
more alienated from the means of production more
impoverished, while ownership and control of the means
of production will become concentrated into fewer and
fewer hands

Proletariat- Social Revolution

the working class;

especially: the class of
industrial workers who
lack their own means of
production and hence
sell their labour to live
the spark for the
revolution when the
proletariat grasp the
oppressiveness of the
system they will create
the revolution
The proletarians have nothing to lose but their chains Marx

The history of all hitherto existing societies is the history of

class struggles Marx & Engels*
This revolution will end the
division of society into
classes the means of
production will be owned
by all and operated into the
interest of all

There is a need to abolish the private

ownership of the means of production
and make it to a common
property/share capital to change the essence of production from
profit to welfare and quality of life.
*From the communist manifesto (1848)

Marx Aesthetics

The ideas of the ruling class are, in every age,

the ruling ideas; the class which is the dominant
material force in society is at the same time its
dominant intellectual force.
The true function of art is social criticism art
should get people to understand in a deeper way
what is wrong with the society they live in and
with their own relationship to that society and
therefore with their own lives.
Art should make them want to change society.

Kibbutz

The Kibbutz drew its

inspiration from
socialist (Marxist and
others) and Zionist
ideologies. The basic
principles of the kibbutz
are communal
ownership of the means
of production - kibbutz
members are both the
owners and the
workers.
1. Nahsholi (c. 1960)
in the kibbutz

From each according to his abilities, to each according to his needs

Marx & Engels

Kibbutz and Marxism

the kibbutz Movement has

realised Marxs vision of a
modern, sophisticated society
that allocates labour and
assets according to the rule:
from each according to his ability,
to each according to his need.

3 characteristics of the
kibbutz which are contrary to
Marx theory:
Utopism
Ruralism
Nationalism

Art in the Service of Ideology

Art was a central element in the kibbutz entity and

held an important place.
Art in the kibbutzim (plural) moved between two
extremes the personal one and the collective one.
The art is not to been
seen as a private property
but as a contribution to
the collective socialspiritual assets. ) 47' 2001 ,(

2. Simon (1947) Figures in the kibbutz. oil on canvas

The kibbutz Movement does not call to you in an enslaving

socialist invitation, but it commands you to escort its creations
and struggle from honest point of view without exaggeration and
idealization. M. Yaari- call for artists ) 50' 2001 ,(

4.Ben-Menachem (1938) The building

3.Ben-Menachem (1936) The Reaper

5.Ben-Menachem
(1938) Haystack

The finest art is the one that finds the balance between mirroring the
kibbutz life and servicing the cultural and political needs of the kibbutz
and the Movement. )50 ' 2001 ,(

The kibbutz artists practiced their

art not only to fulfil their
personal-artistic aspirations, but
also operated as representatives of
the public, with whose goals they
identified unreservedly
art was viewed as an instrument
to use in service of the society.
The kibbutz and the Movement's
institutions considered the artists'
talents essential, and the artists
obliged.
6.Simon (1952) Mishmar LaYeladim.
Magazine cover

Association of Painters and Sculptors of the

Kibbutz (1938) the 3rd exhibition

7. Simon Yohanan (1938)

Association of painters and
sculptors of the kibbutz
Haartzi. 3rd Exhibition.
Lino cut. 100x70cm

Political Posters 1930-50

The political poster was indented

to influence the public opinion
before TV and radio.
They were commissioned by the
National Kibbutz Movement and
by the United Labour Party for
use in various public campaigns.
The posters were hanged in the
cities and settlements streets, on
public notice boards and appeared
in news papers.
8. (1944) Long live triumphant socialism!

a rhetorical instrument for formulating and disseminating ideas.

(Donner, 2001 p. 75)

Its [posters] construction is typified by the formation of a

visual vocabulary, translating stereotypes or symbols we
have come to know in other contexts into an alternative
semantic field. It is social/ideological context that
establishes the framework for a system which fabricates
symbols, lending them significance through their
interaction with the surrounding. (Donner, 2001 p. 75)

9.Kraus (1943)
Long live the red
army!

10.Karavan (1953)
Al HaHoma.
HaShomer
HaTzair bulletin
cover

Iconography

o
o

The posters iconography is

influenced from 3 sources:
symbols of the communist
ideology
symbols of the socialist
workers movement from
around the world
and symbols from the Zionist
movement.
11. Simon Yohanan (1942)
Anniversary of the October
revolution. Lino cut.

13. Simon (1949) May Day

12.Walter Joseph
(1944) the left front

14. Blass (1935) 1st of May

Style

The posters mixed between; German expressionism

and/or the Bauhaus aesthetics and the Soviet Union
Socialist Realism.

14. Blass (1935) 1st of May

15. Simon(1946) For Pioneering Action! For

Braking the Siege! For Opening Gates

16.Weill (1955) Lend a hand.

Socialist realism

was declared to be the

official artistic style of
the Soviet Union in 1934.
The three guiding
principles in socialist 17.Simakov (1923) Long live May Day - International Worker's day!
realism art style were
loyalty, presentation of
current ideology and
accessibility.

18.Shubina (1951) Water for the land and riches for the nation!

The art was intended to glorify and celebrate the

superiority of the new classless society. Art works
were usually monumental expressing heroic
optimism. The art works depicted men and women
at work or playing sports, political assemblies,
political leaders and the achievements of the Soviet
technology.

20. Mukhina
(1937)
Worker and
Kolkhoz
woman
19. Elagin (1948) We should hold all worlds records!

Images List
1.
2.
3.
4.

5.
6.
7.

8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.

14.
15.
16.
17.
18.

19.
20.

Nahsholi Barak (c. 1960) in the kibbutz

Simon Yohanan (1947) Figures in the kibbutz. oil on canvas
Ben-Menachem Yitzhak (1936) The Reaper. Lino cut. 21.5x16.5cm
Ben-Menachem Yitzhak (1938) The building. Lino cut
Ben-Menachem Yitzhak (1938) Haystack. Lino cut
Simon Yohanan (1952) Mishmar LaYeladim. Magazine cover
Simon Yohanan (1938) Association of painters and sculptors of the kibbutz Haartzi. 3rd Exhibition. Lino cut.
100x70cm
Unknown (1944) Long live triumphant socialism! Lino cut. 51x35.5cm
Kraus Franz (1943) Long live the red army! Lino cut 96x64cm
Karavan Dani (1953) Al HaHoma. HaShomer HaTzair bulletin cover
Simon Yohanan (1942) Anniversary of the October revolution. HaShomer HaTzair and the socialist league. Lino
cut. 70x50cm
Walter Joseph (1944) the left front
Simon Yohanan (1949) May Day 1949. lino cut 70x50cm
Blass Rico (1935) 1st of May
Simon Yohanan (1946) For Pioneering Action! For Braking the Siege! For Opening Gates! Lino cut. 30x21 cm.
Weill Shraga (1955) Lend a hand. Election poster for the 3rd Knesset. offset 80x55cm
Simakov I.V. (1923) Long live May Day - International Worker's day! Lithography 67 x 98cm
Shubina G.K. (1951) Water for the land and riches for the nation! Offset printing 56.5 x 82.5cm
Elagin A. I. (1948) We should hold all worlds records! 58x85cm
Mukhina Vera (1937) Worker and Kolkhoz woman. Stainless steel 2400cm.

Bibliography

Dempsey, A. (2004). Socialist Realism. In Styles, Schools and Movements (pp. 168-170). London:
Thames & Hudson

Goldman Y. (2007). Kibbutz. Retrieved Aug 11, 2011, from http://ygoldman.org/?p=133

Graham G. (1997) The Marxist Theory of Art. In The British Journal of Aesthetics. 37(2) 109+. General
OneFile.

Magee B. (2010). Marx. In The Story of Philosophy (pp. 164-171). London: Dorling Kindersley.

McLellan D. (1986). Marx. London: Fontana Press.

Shealtiel S. Tzur E. Danieli Y. Donner B. (2001) Art in the Service of Ideology: HaShomer HaTzair
Political Posters. Israel Studies, 6(2), 53-89. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/30245574

On-line encyclopaedias

Engels Friedrich. Retrieved Nov. 10, 2011 from http://www.merriam-webster.com/concise/engels

Hegel Wilhelm Friedrich. Retrieved Nov. 10, 2011 from

http://www.merriamwebster.com/concise/hegel+georg+wilhelm+friedrich?show=0&t=1320896197

Kibbutz. Retrieved Oct 24, 2011 from http://www.merriamwebster.com/concise/kibbutz?show=0&t=1318817574

Zionism. Retrieved Oct 24, 2011 from http://www.thefreedictionary.com/Zionism

Bibliography
) 2001(. . ( .) . 1937-
( . 1967' ) 45-55- :
19( . .) 2007 . - . , :
. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPEBP5DLC6E

) 2001( . . ( .)
( . 1937-1967' ) 79-89- :
( .. ). -
Retrieved Aug 8, 2011 http://tnuathaavoda.info/zope/home/6/1118186514/

) 2001( . . ( .)
( . 1937-1967' ) 25-43- :
) 2001( . . ( .) 1937-
( . 1967' ) 57-71- :
( .) ( )2001 . . 1937-1967- :